Frustration mounts for Rogers, Marlins against Phillies

MIAMI -- The usually stoic Trevor Rogers provided a glimpse into the Marlins’ mounting frustration during Friday night’s 8-2 loss to the Phillies at loanDepot park.

Rogers threw his glove and cap and knocked over a container of sunflower seeds and cups atop a cooler after being pulled in the fourth inning with the bases loaded. Since opening the season with a 3.92 ERA in four starts, Rogers has a 9.92 ERA in his last four outings, which includes 13 runs (12 earned) across 5 2/3 frames his last two times on the mound.

“We're a good group of guys in there, and we're all just [upset] at how things are going so far,” said Rogers, who gave up five runs (four earned) on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings. “It's like when we hit, we just can't pitch. When we pitch, we just can't hit. It's like we just can't put a nine-inning game together, and me going out there and laying a goose egg like that doesn't help things. I've just got to be better. That's kind of what [ticks] me off the most. I can't give anything to chance, and that's kind of where you saw the frustration there.”

Seven months ago, the Marlins and Phillies squared off in the National League Wild Card Series. Much has changed since then.

In 2024, Philadelphia boasts a Major League-high 27 wins, while Miami is tied for the second-fewest victories (10). A week ago, reigning two-time batting champion Luis Arraez was pulled from the starting lineup as the organization finalized a trade that sent him to San Diego for four prospects.

“I think there should be a lot of [upset] people,” manager Skip Schumaker said. “No one wants to get their butt kicked every night. I think people are probably sick of that. I think there's probably frustration, but I think anger is good at times because it builds adrenaline, it means you care. So I think if you're just going through the motions and checking boxes and it's just another game so to speak, then you're not made for this.

“I don't mind a broken helmet, a bat slam, or whatever you're doing. There's got to be some sort of emotion, because I think sadness is not the emotion you want. You want to be angry, frustrated, the whole deal, to get some energy going, some emotion going, because that's where real adrenaline starts coming from. I don't mind it. It just means you care.”

The Marlins’ struggles start with -- pun intended -- the rotation.

Even without ace Sandy Alcantara, Miami’s starting staff was expected to be in the upper echelon after compiling the NL’s fifth-highest fWAR in 2023. Instead, injuries have decimated the unit, as righties Eury Pérez and Edward Cabrera as well as southpaws Jesús Luzardo, Braxton Garrett and A.J. Puk joined Alcantara on the IL at some point.

The Marlins’ staff entered with the lowest fWAR this year. The Phillies had the highest. That much was evident in Friday’s series opener.

Rogers, who was limited to 18 innings in 2023 due to injuries, has been working through mechanical issues and decreased velocity. Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. and pitching strategist Brandon Mann identified a disconnection in Rogers’ delivery that could be to blame: When his foot lands, his hand is still below his shoulder when it should be at a cocked position.

The 26-year-old Rogers also had trouble locating his fastball up and fell behind batters. He would miss arm side when trying to go in, which meant the Phillies drove pitches on the outer half for opposite-field hits.

“It's everything if I can't locate [the] fastball inside,” Rogers said. “My changeup out away is pretty much useless, [my] two-seam’s useless. I could get away with it here and there, but with that team, I think they clearly showed that I can't get away with it. So I've got to be better.”

Southpaw Ranger Suárez, meanwhile, put on a clinic as the reigning NL Pitcher of the Month. Suárez tossed seven scoreless innings, marking the fourth time he has gone at least seven frames this season. No Marlin has reached that benchmark.

“Every time I looked up, he was 0-1 [in the count],” Rogers said. “I think his first-pitch strikes were really good today. Landing everything for strikes, expanding when he needs to, and that's why he's one of the best pitchers in the league this year. And he proved that tonight. I proved that I have a lot of work to do.”